Fence



Z. FOWLER.

FENCE (No Model.)

Patented Oct. 13, 1891.

at l e M14,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ZADOC FOIVLER, OF FOIVLERS, EST VIRGINIA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,960, dated October 13, 1891.

Application filed April 14, 1891. $erial No. 388,877. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ZADOC FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fowlers, in the county of Brooke and State of \Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fences.

The object of my improvements is to provide a fence which is at once simple, cheap, and effective for the fencing of farms, lots, and for other purposes to which it may be applied.

The invention consists in the following construction and combination of parts, which will be first fully described in detail, and the points of novelty believed to be 'new then set forth in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the invention fully by a side elevation. Fi 2 is a transverse section and elevation thereof.

In the drawings, a represents a series of vertical posts. These posts may or may not be provided with a base-rail b. \Vhen the base-rail is omitted the posts a are set in the ground in the usual way.

0 are the top rails of the fence. These I generally prefer to spike on the tops of the posts, though I may secure them in any suitable way.

61 are the intermediate rails. These rails are slightly shorter than the distance between the posts, and there may be'any desired number of them.

e represents the wire connections of the rails.

All the rails d are hung by the wires 6 from the top rails c. The wires 6 are twisted round the top rails, and also in succession around each panel-rail (Z and secured thereto.

They may, however, be hung in any other analogous manner.

My improved fence is very cheaply and easily constructed, because there are no railmortises to make in the posts and the rails d can all be wired flat or upon the ground and then be easily swung into place. The weight of the rails and the stiifness of the wire prevent the panels from being swung unduly aside, while at the same time the fence is well adapted as a flood-fence in valleys and lands subject to periodical overflow.

Barbed wire may be used in place of the wire 6, if desired.

The spikes f may represent straps or staples driven into the tops of the posts, so that, if desired, the top rails 0 may be rotated, in order that the lower panel-rail cl may be adjustably set at differentelevations to make it conform to the inequalities of the ground or to be elevated during a flood or for any other purpose. The rails cmay besquare, so they will hold the panels at every quarter of the turn in the straps f.

It is very essential in building this class of fence, where the panels are constructed complete before they are mounted, to have a ready means for adj ustably setting the panels after they are secured to the top rail. This I accomplish by rotating the square top rail, and which is automatically locked by the weight of the panel at each quarter-turn of the top rail.

If it should be desired to hold the panels vertically by any other force than by gravity, I may use projections g, or I may employ diagonal braces h, which connect the adjacent diagonally-opposite corners of the panels-and ground embracing the lower panel-rail, subto stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ZADOC FOWLER.

Witnesses:

N. O. HUNTER, M. L. DoUeLAss. 

